The Galway County Council is set to receive a €1 million cash injection for the upgrade of locals roads after Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring announced a further allocation to Local Authorities under the the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS ).
The €1 million is the biggest allocation to any local authority in the State, making up more than 10 per cent of the entire allotment.
The funding is used to carry out improvement works on private and non-privately maintained roads.
Minister Ciaran Cannon welcomed the allocation, saying the road improvements carried out under the scheme would make a huge difference for people living in rural areas accessing their homes and farms.
Minister Cannon said; “This funding is for the improvement of small roads and laneways in rural parts of Galway that are not under the normal maintenance of the Galway County Council. Often these roads lead to multiple residences, parcels of land that support agricultural activity or to amenities such as lakes, rivers, or beaches.
“This scheme will make a huge difference for people living in rural areas accessing their homes and farms, and it is also used to improve local amenities such as graveyards and beaches for the benefit of the whole community as well as visitors."
Minister Michael Ring said that improvement works have been carried out on more than 1,100 roads under the LIS since September 2017 and the new round of funding will have a positive impact on many people's lives in rural areas.
"Many people living in rural areas use these roads on every journey they take, so when these roads fall into disrepair, it has a significant impact on them.
“By investing in the improvement of these roads, the Government is helping to improve people’s quality of life in rural areas.
“The Action Plan for Rural Development prioritises improving rural infrastructure and connectivity, and by supporting the LIS scheme we are doing just that.
“I am delighted that my Department is making such a positive impact on the lives of people who live and work in rural areas, through a whole range of measures such as the Town and Village Scheme, CLÁR, and the LEADER programme."
The Galway County Council is responsible for identifying and prioritising roads for improvement works under the scheme.
